7.9

Appearance - 6 | Aroma - 8 | Flavor - 8 | Texture - 8 | Overall - 8.5

Got in a BIF from zekeman17. 16 ounce can into tulip glass, canned on 10/5/2018. Pours very hazy/cloudy golden yellow color with a 1 finger fairly dense and fluffy white head with good retention, that reduces to a minimal spotty lace cap that lingers. Minimal spotty lacing on the glass, with a fair amount of streaming carbonation. Good appearance. Aromas of big mandarin orange juice, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, watermelon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/zest, light pepper/pine, wheat, biscuit dough, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Damn nice aromas with great balance and complexity of citrus/fruity/tropical hops and bready malt notes; with great strength. Taste of big mandarin orange juice, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, watermelon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/zest, light pepper/pine, wheat, biscuit dough, herbal, and floral/grassy earthiness. Mild pine, zesty, herbal, floral, grassy bitterness on the finish. Lingering notes of mandarin orange juice, grapefruit, lemon, peach, pear, pineapple, apricot, passion fruit, papaya, mango, watermelon, guava, blueberry, citrus peel/zest, light pepper/pine, wheat, biscuit dough, and herbal/floral/grassy earthiness on the finish for a while. Awesome complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical hops and bready malt flavors; with a solid malt/bitterness balance, and no cloying/astringent flavors after the finish. Slightly increasing dryness from lingering bitterness. Medium carbonation and medium-plus body; with a very smooth, creamy/bready/grainy, lightly sticky, and slightly gritty mouthfeel that is fantastic. Mildly increasing warmth of 8% after the finish. Overall this is an awesome NE DIPA. All around great complexity, robustness, and balance of citrus/fruity/tropical hops and bready malt flavors; very smooth and easy to drink for the ABV, with the mildly bitter/drying finish. Amazingly soft feel. Feels like Mosaic/El Dorado. Extremely juicy and lightly dank/earthy hop complexity; perfect wheat/oat/malt balance, no overly sweet from lingering dryness. A really enjoyable offering, and spot on style example.